The Pilgrimage of the Magi
The wise men's focus on the star shows...
The wise men's focus on the star shows they were astrologers. Their knowledge of the Old Testament (possibly Numbers 24:17) suggests they came from Babylonia, where many Jews lived. These men were gentiles (non-Jewish people), which hints at God accepting gentiles in his kingdom (Matthew 8:11–12; 15:21–28; 28:16–20).
All through the Gospel, unlikely gentiles worship the Jewish Messiah, while many Jewish leaders (Herod, the high priests, the teachers of religious law, and the Pharisees) oppose him.
1After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the time of King Herod, Magi from the east arrived in Jerusalem, 2asking, “Where is the One who has been born King of the Jews? We saw His star in the east† and have come to worship Him.”
3When King Herod heard this, he was disturbed, and all Jerusalem with him. 4And when he had assembled all the chief priests and scribes of the people, he asked them where the Christ was to be born.
5“In Bethlehem in Judea,” they replied, “for this is what the prophet has written:
6‘But you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah,are by no means least among the rulers of Judah,for out of you will come a rulerwho will be the shepherd of My people Israel.’”†7Then Herod called the Magi secretly and learned from them the exact time the star had appeared.
God placed the star to guide the wise...
God placed the star to guide the wise men to the Messiah (see Numbers 24:17). The details are unclear.
8And sending them to Bethlehem, he said: “Go and search carefully for the Child, and when you find Him, report to me, so that I too may go and worship Him.”
9After they had heard the king, they went on their way, and the star they had seen in the east went ahead of them until it stood over the place where the Child was. 10When they saw the star, they rejoiced with great delight. 11On coming to the house, they saw the Child with His mother Mary, and they fell down and worshiped Him. Then they opened their treasures and presented Him with gifts of gold and frankincense and myrrh.
12And having been warned in a dream not to return to Herod, they withdrew to their country by another route.
The Flight to Egypt
flee to Egypt … until I tell you:...
flee to Egypt … until I tell you: This action fulfills the prophecy in Hosea 11:1 (refer to study note on Matthew 4:1–11; see also Genesis 15:13–16; 46:1–5; Exodus 15:1–21).
13When the Magi had gone, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream. “Get up!” he said. “Take the Child and His mother and flee to Egypt. Stay there until I tell you, for Herod is going to search for the Child to kill Him.”
14So he got up, took the Child and His mother by night, and withdrew to Egypt, 15where he stayed until the death of Herod. This fulfilled what the Lord had spoken through the prophet: “Out of Egypt I called My Son.”†
Weeping and Great Mourning
16When Herod saw that he had been outwitted by the Magi, he was filled with rage. Sending orders, he put to death all the boys in Bethlehem and its vicinity who were two years old and under, according to the time he had learned from the Magi. 17Then what was spoken through the prophet Jeremiah was fulfilled:
18“A voice is heard in Ramah,weeping and great mourning,Rachel weeping for her childrenand refusing to be comforted,because they are no more.”†The Return to Nazareth
19After Herod died, an angel of the Lord appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt.
Jesus returned to Israel to fulfill the prophecy...
Jesus returned to Israel to fulfill the prophecy in Hosea 11:1 (see Hosea 2:13–15).
20“Get up!” he said. “Take the Child and His mother and go to the land of Israel, for those seeking the Child’s life are now dead.”
21So Joseph got up, took the Child and His mother, and went to the land of Israel. 22But when he learned that Archelaus was reigning in Judea in place of his father Herod, he was afraid to go there. And having been warned in a dream, he withdrew to the district of Galilee, 23and he went and lived in a town called Nazareth. So was fulfilled what was spoken through the prophets: “He will be called a Nazarene.”